Three Occupy Oaklanders charged with hate crimes, robbery

Three Occupy Oakland protesters accused of surrounding and taunting a woman before stealing her wallet were charged on Friday with robbery and hate crimes, authorities said.

Michael Davis, 32, Nneka Crawford, 23, and Randolph Wilkins, 24, confronted the woman on the streets of Oakland in February after she told them not to riot, the Oakland Police said in a written release.

According to a report by NBC Bay Area, police said the woman was crossing the street from a Wells Fargo bank when she noticed a group of Occupy protesters calling for a riot. She allegedly told them not to riot in her neighborhood and was then surrounded.

"She was surrounded by three protesters and battered as they yelled vulgar epithets regarding their perception of her sexual orientation," Oakland Police spokeswoman Johnna Watson said.

The female victim was not identified except as a 20-year resident of the neighborhood.